Tea and Curry
by owlfawn
Summary: When Cam visits Lillian for some lunch, he gets a lot more than he expected. CamxLillian


Cam shifted in his spot, patiently waiting for the farmer before him to lead the way to the inside of her cottage. He, being the socially awkward butterfly he was, hesitantly accepted her previous invitation for a midday meal. Though it may not of been his real intention of visiting the other, he didn't mind spending some time catching up with her. He slowly pushed his hands into the pockets of his black jeans and sent her a nod, as if he was waiting for her to go on; which he was.

Lillian smiled at his acceptance, since being rejected was never exactly fun for her. It wasn't fun for anyone, though, was it? She grabbed her bag and started toward her home, Cam following behind. As the door pushed open with a small creak, both stepped inside. "S-Sorry for the mess…" Clothes were piled in a corner and there were a few tools laying about. Lillian scooped up the tools and dumped them into a chest, then put the clothes into her wardrobe.

"Ah, go ahead and sit down anywhere. I'll get something to drink. Is tea alright?" She walked into the kitchen and began rummaging through her refrigerator.

Staring agape at the clutter around her home, he bowed his head just the slightest. He had never expected her to be living in such a way. Sure, it was fine to have a few piles of belongings; he didn't mind, but he had always thought Lillian was the type to stay in tip top shape when it came to the inside of her residence.

As the girl frantically went off to tidy the appliances and the clothing left behind, Cam briskly walked towards her living area. Spotting the miniature couch in the middle of the room, he seated himself down. "Tea… tea would be great." He muttered, almost too softly. The florist's lazy emerald orbs traveled along each furniture she had in her house. There may have been a small mess, but the atmosphere that gave out in the home was sure welcoming and warm.

She had just barely heard him. Spotting the tea in shelf 84 (lol) she took it out and began to boil some water in her teapot. Lillian walked over to the couch and rested over the back of it. "Is there anything you want to eat? I've got just about everything~." She smiled brightly at Cam, wondering what he thought of her. But that wasn't her main concern. What really worried her was if he thought she was an unkept person.

The truth of her absence from society was that she was depressed, and neglected everything besides her animals and crops. As soon as she finished her necessary chores, she returned to her house and laid in bed, not moving or eating. Though after long enough, she got to be too hungry and pigged out. Now, she was lazy and still sad, but when Cam had come to see her, she realized that she couldn't wallow in her sadness and put on a smile. She didn't want anyone to be concerned about her, so she smiled. Just like always.

Pressing his lips together, almost seeming as if his lips where just a a single line, he averted his eyes as she questioned her, still quite curious in what her house contained. He didn't care what he eaten or drank while being here, as long as he learned a few new facts about the girl that would satisfy his hungry mind, then it would be fine. Not that he wanted to know every single detail, just something that could help improve their current relation. But seeing as though how his skills with people are, he might not come out with much. He didn't want to go to much into her that might 'cause a disturbance, either.

"I'm fine with just tea." He answered, finally stopping himself from looking further. He leaned himself back against the couch, for a split second before adjusting his posture. "Preferably, earl grey… or green tea." He adds, in a whisper. "But— anything goes. It's tea, anyway."

He blinked for a moment before noticing that he had yet to thank the girl for her kindness. He tipped his hat and stare straight into her wide violet eyes. Flashing her a _semi-smile_, "Also, thank you… for your generosity…"

Lillian's cheeks turned pink at the half-gentle expression while she stared back at him. Regaining her composure, she smiled brightly. "No problem. I'll be right back with your tea~" She walked over to the kitchen, holding her burning face and restricting herself from flailing or just collapsing. Just as she reached the stove, the teapot whistled rather loudly and resounded throughout her small home. Lillian turned off the stove and got out a teacup and saucer.

Once finished with making the green tea, she brought it over to Cam and set it down on her coffee table, then returned to the kitchen to get out some food for herself. (With game logic) She pulled out some fresh curry from her fridge and went to sit at the couch as well. The couch made a swooshing sound, as well as her dress, as she fell into the couch and took a bite of her curry. A small noise of satisfaction emitted her lips as she savored the taste.

Twisting a leg over the other, he grasped the tea cup in his hands. Smelling the strong aroma escaping the beverage and into his senses, his shoulders relaxed and his eyes began to close, unconsciously. Tea was always one way to relieve stress. It wasn't a brand he would normally chose to drink, but it'll do. Tea is tea; they all keep him content either way.

Opening an eye and from the side, he observed Lillian as she consumed a spoonful of the seasoned dish. Seeing as how she seemed to be pleased with the taste, Cam noted that she must like curry. He paused; well… there was only a way of actually making it official.

"You… uhm… do you like curry?" He questioned, gently boosting a brow.

She turned to face him, a bit of curry on the corner of her mouth and nodded. "I love it! … Do you?" Her eyes were full of curiosity. She didn't actually know much about Cam, other than he liked tea, cats, and flowers. She was about to find out if he liked curry, but still, she knew very little. Seeing as this was a good opportunity to find out more about this boy, she adjusted her position so she was facing him on the couch.

Shifting in his spot, Cam took in a sip of the drink. The bitter taste of the tea slipping through his mouth. Holding the teacup on his lips, his eyes slowly began to flutter open, but when they did a deadpan expression held place. It was moments after until Cam finally spoke up, hesitantly. He huffed out a sigh.

"I… guess, you can say that." He said, his lips pressed on to the rims of the cup. It was quite muffled; how he spoke. But it wasn't hard to sort out the words. As he opened his mouth a bit to allow the drink enter, the corner of his eyes spotted curry resting on her face.

Holding onto the tea with one hand, his other brushed off the leftover that laid on her cheek. His smooth, gentle hands contacted her delicate face, giving it a light touch.

" I see. I'll make sure to bring you some one day!" She giggled lightly and watched as he drank the tea. However, he stopped. Was something wrong with the tea? Was something bothering him? … Did he want some curry? As he reached his hand up, the action was so swift it almost seemed at though it didn't happen.

But it did. And the deepest shade of red wouldn't be close to the color Lillian's face had become. Her violet eyes grew wide and she froze.

Suppressing the tinge of red that was about the form on his cheeks, he reluctantly swallowed some tea. In truth, he had done that without even thinking. It was as if his body has betrayed mind. He grunted, biting on the his bottom lip. I guess his actions are going to make him face the consequences; the awkwardness was literally booming into the nice and peaceful aura that once was.

Cam sighed, hoping that Lillian didn't mind that motion. It was simply just an act of kindness, that was all. Uncrossing his legs and crossing them again—but the other way, he blinks, keeping the emotionless face he has.

Lillian put her curry on the coffee table, then fiddled with her dress and looked at her hands, her face still noticeably warm. Questions flooded her mind as Cam just kept his composure. Why did he do that? Moreover, why is she reacting this way? It's not as if she has a thi- Oh, goddess. That's probably it. Lillian, the messy farmgirl, has a crush on Cam, the cool and calm florist. This was no good. She would surely embarrass herself if he ever found out. She could never tell him!

Her face burned brighter and Lillian buried her face into her dress, almost like she was a folding chair. Anybody would question her right now, but she didn't care. Maybe if he didn't see her blushing, he wouldn't figure it out. '_Just hide your eyes. They always give you away!'_ This chant repeated in her mind on constant loop as her red face remained hidden in her odd position.

Silence was swallowing the two whole; that was for sure. Getting fed up with hearing nothing but the sounds of oxygen taking in and out, Cam settled his teacup on the coffee table before them. It was already empty anyways, he'd figure that he'd pour a bit more when he decides he craves the bitter taste once more.

Overlapping his hand on his knee— which were still cross legged— he placed his elbow on the couch's arm and rested his palm on his cheek. Keeping his stern face, he look over at the brunette next to him. His eyes blinked, taking in the information. Lillian was curled up, almost having similarities of a ball.

"…?"

Curiosity strikes again as Lillian remains silent, almost deep in thought.

"Uhm… Are you… alright…?"

She prevented herself from flinching when he spoke. Not in the bad way; just the way of being snapped out of your thoughts and brought back into reality. Her face began to grow even more red, and she remained her position.

"I-I'm f-f-fine!" Her muffled voice was barely audible through her dress. She refused to look at him, in fear of him absolutely finding out. Her reasoning was illogical, but c'mon, this is Lillian we're talking about here.

Silence enveloped the two again for a short time, and it was probably going to be the death of both of them. Lillian blamed herself for the awkward situation. Her and her darned messy eating…

Furrowing his brows, seeing right through her white lie. He was never the one who liked being like too; never did and will never. His lips, pressed hardly against one another, was almost in a twitch. He looked the opposite way and let out a grumble. "I don't particularly enjoy being lied to, Lillian."

Straightening his posture, he crossed his arms, no longer leaning again the couch's arm. As if finding the ceiling interesting, he gazed up, almost mesmerized.

"Please. Do tell what's really up…"

_'Crap!'_ She had been caught red-handed. Slowly but surely, she brought herself up to an adequate sitting position, then turned her head to look at Cam.

His blonde tufts of hair stuck out from beneath his cap in all sorts of directions, and his emerald eyes were fixated on her ceiling. Lillian's previous blush, which had faded slightly, began to regain its color the longer she stared, so she looked up at the top of her house as well.

"… I think.. I… Like you." Nothing could prevent the brick red blush from smearing itself across her face.

A sudden chill was rushed through his spine, making him pale. His head resumed their natural state, which was not risen. He had never expected words like that to suddenly escape her mouth. It wasn't that he felt disgusted or that he never experienced a confession— well, in this case, what seems to be close to an admittance of feelings. He was just a bit taken aback.

His frown deepened as he searched through his heart and mind, debating if he contained any feelings towards the farmer. Had he? Did he? Does he? There were many possibilities; many ways to answer her revelation. Was he feeling something? Yes. But before going further into details, Cam wasn't so sure if he actually did return the favor in affection. He felt something, though.

Cam gripped on his upper arms, piercing his nails down through the purple button up he wore and his skin. He swiftly, turned his head to make eye contact with the girl.

"I'm sorry…"

He whispered out the words, not fully completing his sentence. He left the statement to hang there. He tried to finish, but his voice was apparently demanding a protest against that; making him open his mouth to take but nothing would come out.

The pause that came after her "confession" seemed to eat at her to no end. And when he did speak, he apologized. Something inside Lillian almost seemed to break, and she just stared off into who knows where, refusing to look at Cam.

"I-I'm sorry too. It was a bit weird to say something so random, huh?" She awkwardly scratched the back of her head, making her bandanna go crooked. It was so silly of her to think that someone like Cam could like a simple farm girl like herself. She wasn't going to show any signs of hurt, she was going to be sure of it. But the broken feeling inside seemed to be restricting her of that goal.

Noticing her avoidance in glances, Cam does the same. The man who is often uncomfortable around situations like this, knew nothing of what to do next. Surely, Lillian might've been feeling rather displeased with the outcome.

Biting, rather roughly, onto his bottom lip, Cam forced himself to star at the girl that sat beside him. He felt his lip cut a bit open, from the pressure it was receiving, but he didn't care. He could even taste the metallic flavor his lips were giving off, and he still didn't care.

His expression softened as he say her facial expression. There was no actual need for the apology. Throwing her a sympathetic look, his emerald orbs began turning dull.

"Lillian… I…"

Suddenly, still not aware of how to handle this event, he twisted his head the other direction. "I don't like you…" He responded. "But…" He collected his breath.

An unruly tear fell down her slightly pink cheek, sliding down to her chin, then falling down onto her dress. Lillian wiped her face with the back of her hand, sniffling softly. His words hurt. They cut her like a knife, and she had no idea why. It was only a crush, so she shouldn't feel this way about a silly rejection, right?

"I-It's fine. I-… I'm going to go wash the dishes…" She quickly got up and carried both the teacup&saucer and her plate of curry, then walked over to the kitchen sink. She turned on the water and let it run a bit, making sure the water was warm before she washed the dishes. Her hands gripped the counter until her knuckles turned white and a few more tears fell down her face.

He didn't bother speaking another word. But just a glimpse, Cam had caught his eyes on the tears that wears streaming down her cheek. Eyes widening, little by little, Cam leaned back against the couch as Lillian came into the kitchen. Finally untangling his arms, he rubbed his templates.

Lillian was a great person; full of determination and a ray of sunshine. Cam had always admired her for what she's improved on the free land Bluebell had. He didn't know much about her but the basic facts.

He had first thought this little meal was going to be more relaxing rather than this… surprising scene. He intended on coming home to the cafe with a growing friendship and not a acknowledgement of being a heart breaker.

Getting up on his feet, he shuffled to where Lillian stood. His mind was settled. He sneaked up behind her, tapping her shoulder; hoping to achieve her attention. Once he had, his face expressed seriousness.

"Our likes… are very different. Mine and yours… they mean something dissimilar to one another." He said. "_But._.. I don't mind… trying in the future… to see if I… could return… your… fee—….lings…" His voice began to die down, as he spoke on.

Lillian nearly dropped her plate when she felt his finger tap her shoulder. She continued to face the sink as she finished washing the dish, then sit it next to the teacup on the drying rack. She let his words sink into her mind and heart, waiting before saying anything. For once, she was thinking before she spoke.

Turning, she faced him but was a bit surprised to have him be so close. Pink dusted her cheeks, but she remained almost as serious as he was.

"… Are you sure?" She shook her head. "I mean, like you said, we're pretty different… I'm just a farm girl, and you're.. You're Cam. The one who's cool and every girl swoons over!" Looking into his eyes, she showed a hint of worry. "Why would you want to feel that way about me?"

Impassively, Cam shrugged and gave her a short pat on the head. A microscopic bit of red emerged on his cheeks. He sighed and shot up a single eyebrow. Was she exaggerating? She must be.

"Are you trying to tell me… that you prefer me not doing such a thing?" He asked, blankly. "You want me to reconsider?" He turned his heel, gesturing for her to continue her chores in the sink. Walking back to the coach, he made himself comfortable; pouring tea into his glass and seating himself cross legged.

"It's quite a surprise you view me that way, Lillian." He stated. "… I've been called that type of guy before, but… I'd declare a disagreement."

Bring a tissue to his lips, he cleaned off the small cut he had made from chewing too much of his lips. He found that frequent, nowadays…

"Well… if you're curious as to asking why, I would do such a thing… here's a starter," He began, taking short sips of the unsweetened brew. "You're strong willed; and I don't care if you happen to be a lowly rancher. We aren't being run by a social structure, so there's no point in being judgmental. Keep in mind, that I am just a florist. Not a very ideal job for a man."

Her eyes shut as he patted her head, making her unable to see his expression. What was he thinking…? She heard him start to walk away and looked up at him with a bit of heartbreak.

"No…" she whispered, but he was out of earshot. She watched him and he returned to his spot on the couch. As he spoke, she found her heart to be pulled in all sorts of directions. All of her thoughts were crazy, and she didn't know what to do. While more words came from Cam's mouth, Lillian made one step after another closer to him, closing the gap between them. Her arms shot out and wrapped around him from behind, and she rested her head on the top of his.

"I don't want you to reconsider. I want you to like me. You are that type of guy, and I'm one of those girls that swoon over you. If you don't care, I don't care. I like you, Cam. Way more than you think."

He continued to blabber on, his topic mostly focusing strictly on answering her question. Cam was abruptly halted as he felt arms capture him. From shock, Cam released a sound; a mix between a yelp and a gasp. He had almost spat out the tea and dropped the cup. Luckily, he did not. Noticing it was Lillian, he pursed his lips, tightly. His first reaction to her display in affection was to push her away, untwist her arms around him. But as the words began to process, he paused.

"…"

Was he really a type of guy to captivate a woman? His gaze was brought down to the floor, his expression: unreadable. He shifted a bit, his current position not helping his posture. "I guess there is no free choice to begin love and it's ending…" He mutters.

"… Cam…" Lillian blushed, and before releasing him, she pulled him closer for a fraction of a second. She took a step back and looked down, half regretting hugging him.

"I'm sorry about that… I don't know what I was thinking." But then his words registered in her mind. '_L-love?'_If the blush she had when she confessed was bad, the one she had now was the worst. If it were possible, her head would be emitting smoke like in some sort of cartoon.

"I feel… tired…" The floor seemed a lot closer than it was before, and then the lights turned off.

Finally relieved that Lillian had unattached herself, Cam heaved out a sigh. As if a speck of dust had landed on his shoulders, his hands brushed his shoulders. Placing the cup of tea down onto the table, he rose from his physical place. He alternated his weight onto one foot and twisted his arms together. His face was almost pure white; as if showing no life or emotion. He, now facing the girl with just the couch in the way, cleared his throat.

As Lillian began to wobble, Cam blinked. He closed his eyes for little more than a second. Suddenly, he found Lillian on the ground. In shock, Cam reacted like every other did. He yelled her name and hastily went by her side. Did she collapse? He contemplated. Did she exhaust herself?

Finding it no use in keeping the farmer on the floor— where she'd eventually fall as a victim in catching a cold— he lifted her, bridal style. He blew out a wind of air, heavily, as he practically dragged his feet towards what he assumed to be her bedroom. He'd figure that it would be best if he set her down to slumber and leave.

She wasn't sure exactly what had happened to her, but she wasn't completely unconscious. She felt Cam lift her up and carry her towards her room. How did he know where it was? That was unimportant now. Her eyes felt heavy, as if they were being weighed down by an anchor. As she was set onto her bed, she heard Cam start to leave.

"No, please, don't go." She knew she sounded weak and desperate, but what was she to do when the man she was probably in love with just started to walk away? He stopped at the doorway and leaned against its frame. His back faced her, but there was a hint of a smile in his voice as he spoke.

"I'll stay until you fall asleep." And with that, Lillian fell asleep.

The time for questions would be much, much later.


End file.
